Men's college hoops: Tar Heels lend elite feel to NIT semis

NEW YORK — This isn't where Marcus Ginyard expected to end his career when he signed a letter of intent with North Carolina four years ago.

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — This isn't where Marcus Ginyard expected to end his career when he signed a letter of intent with North Carolina four years ago.

He expected to be playing in the Final Four, of course, just not this one.

So forgive him for speaking quietly, slouching ever so slightly, looking just a little bit out of place Monday when he joined a few other players from Rhode Island, Mississippi and Dayton for a news conference before the semifinals of the NIT.

The truth is, Ginyard's entire team looks out of place in New York.

Twelve months removed from cutting down the nets after its fifth national championship, North Carolina is trying to make bittersweet history. No school has ever followed a title on basketball's biggest stage with an NIT championship at Madison Square Garden.

"To me it's still a championship. You just have to put out of mind it's not what you wanted," Ginyard said, suddenly perking up.

The bluest of the bluebloods, North Carolina joined a dubious list this season only eight teams long — since the NCAA tournament expanded in 1975 — by following a national championship by missing college basketball's signature event. The last was Florida in 2008, when the Gators had four juniors leave early for the NBA draft.

Don't think for a moment Rhode Island will be intimidated when the game begins, shortly after Ole Miss and Dayton meet in the first semifinal.

Rhode Island had the highest RPI of any team to miss the NCAA tournament. The Rams also went on the road to beat Boston College and Virginia Tech, something that Carolina failed to accomplish.

"We're playing against a formidable team, a Hall of Fame coach, with a lot of history," said Rhode Island junior Delroy James. "But we're not playing against history."

The Rams are playing in their first NIT semifinals since the 1945-46 season, when they lost to Kentucky in the championship game, while Mississippi and Dayton are much more accustomed to playing in front of smaller crowds this time of year.

The Rebels are in the semifinals for the second time in three seasons and have made three trips to the NIT under fourth-year coach Andy Kennedy, while Dayton is playing in the tournament for the 22nd time, second only to St. John's for the most of any school.